


romance

by nyoengland



Series: A Special Relationship [4]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Fluff, M/M, Oneshot, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-13 03:14:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,639
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29395335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nyoengland/pseuds/nyoengland
Summary: Stay-at-home father Alfred Jones waits patiently for his other half on Valentine's Day with their son Peter. Salaryman Arthur Kirkland rushes to leave work to meet them at a cafe, whilst reminiscing on how they got here in the first place.
Relationships: America/England (Hetalia)
Series: A Special Relationship [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/851727
Comments: 6
Kudos: 14





	romance

It was that time in the workday that Arthur felt the effects of quitting smoking the strongest. Sure, it had been years since he’d quit, but a part of him still pawed for the brief minutes he’d spend standing outside with his coworkers and smoking. Of course, he was lucky enough that he’d managed to maintain it and even drag two or three of his coworkers into quitting alongside him, or he wouldn’t have the life he had now.

Almost as if on cue, his phone buzzed in his pocket. Ten minutes until lunch break. Two years ago, Arthur would have spent this time in comfortable loneliness, bringing some scones from home or when the kitchen stove had broken once again, grudgingly accepted Francis’s cooked meals to bring.

That, again, had all changed when Alfred F. Jones came back into his life. Even thinking about him and Peter in that moment brought a foolish smile to his face, one he desperately hoped his desk mate wouldn’t see.

* * *

It had been a freezing winter, one that had been warmed, Arthur would very hesitantly admit, with the addition of Francis’s best friends, Gilbert and Antonio, visiting for Christmas in their shared apartment. They’d been closer in their high school years, whilst Arthur was still a punk, so despite the constant teasing about him mellowing out and growing out of his rocker phase, he’d still felt comfortable with them being in the house for awhile. They crashed on the couch, were an extra presence to deal with when Arthur burnt his scones, but that was that.

Until Gilbert called over some friends. The moment they’d talked about it in the living room Arthur had already stocked up on some essentials to hide away in his own room. With all these people he hadn’t met for years, including Matthew, Ludwig, Alfonso, Lovino, Feliciano, Yao, Ivan, Roderich, Elizaveta, and worst of all _Alfred_ …

Arthur knew Francis and Gilbert had shared concerned looks when _his_ name was brought up, but he tried his best to pay them no heed, and went far enough to actually bother bloody reassuring them that no, he didn’t have any leftover feelings for Alfred, that he wouldn’t and was never resentful of him and Ludwig getting together, and what did Gilbert mean by them no longer being together?

“You know, Arthur, it’s been so long,” Gilbert had said, folding his arms. “They stopped shortly after they entered university, haven’t you been keeping up with them?”

“Just Matthew and Alfonso,” Arthur replied, referring to Antonio’s cousin. “I supposed he wasn’t interested in keeping tabs on me, and Matthew hasn’t had the chance to speak to him much since he’s been away from the internet and only really communicates using the post. As Francis knows.”

“The connection is terrible from the North Pole, yes,” Francis said. “Yet, even without Matthieu’s letters, I am aware of what Alfred is doing nowadays, with someone perched on his arm.”

That took all three of them aback. “He’s taken?!”

“What, don’t the three of you speak with one another?” Francis chuckled, raising an elegant eyebrow. “He’s apparently already with with a delightful woman, in fact.” Pausing once more to appreciate the desired effect it had on his three friends, he spoke once more. “I did not expect our dear country bumpkin to be the first out of all of us, except for Roderich and Eliza.”

“Francis, you sodding git, you-”

“Oh, I thought you were indifferent,” Francis taunted, which earned him a shove in the ribs. “Ow! There is no need to be so feisty, dear Arthur. Well, the story goes, according to Matthieu, the relationship seemed to be petering out anyway, so I did not think it too important to mention to you all.”

Hating the traitorous throb of hope that lay in wait in his windpipe, Arthur chose to remain silent.

“Why even tell us that, then, Francis? So we could get ready to console the poor kid?”

Antonio frowned, his usually cheery face contorted in a serious expression. “Is there a child involved? At least, were they married?”

“To the best of my knowledge, no, but we may ask him when he arrives in two weeks,” Francis sighed. “But we may need to do some consoling.”

* * *

And console they did. The first duo to knock on their doors was Yao and Feliciano, Francis’s friends from culinary school, all rosy cheeked and bright eyed at the possibility of serving up a dish around ten in the morning. With a gentle yet firm reprimand at Arthur to get out of the kitchen, and Feliciano babbling about a pretty girl he’d met on the airport train, there was barely two hours to spare until Roderich and Elizaveta arrived. Over the course of the day, their wanted guests trickled into the apartment until Arthur felt more claustrophobic than he had at the graduation ceremony all those years ago.

Everyone simply looked far better compared to their younger selves (except Francis, he looked as frog like as ever, but Arthur had been living with him since they were in university). He was allowing himself to sulk about it, nursing his cup of tea on the sofa with Matthew who had just sat down next to him, whose hair had grown wavier and longer yet framed his face angelically, giving him a more handsome quality. Fighting away most of the bitterness, they started to talk about his job at the research centre during the summer months. Arthur thought he’d segue in with a joke about girls, which Matthew gently deflected by joking about polar bears.

“Not the penguins, mind you, those are in the South,” he was laughing, and Arthur was joining in, just as the doorbell rung and everyone in the house exchanged glances.

“I’ll get it,” Francis said after a pregnant pause, getting up from the table in the kitchen which had been invaded by both their guests and the hideous plastic red chairs that they’d picked up for discount.

Watching the door swing open, Arthur was surprised to see a shockingly attractive American slough off his coat, his beat up suitcase and let out an earsplitting “Hey, guys!”

“Took you long enough, _chou_ ,” Francis sighed, though he did not seem displeased. “It seems as if the last guest has arrived - Feliciano, please wait until I’m out of the way next time-”

“Woah, Feli, you’ve grown a lot!” Alfred exclaimed, ruffling his hair as the rest of the merry party came to swarm him, Matthew and Arthur excluded. “And everyone! What’s up! How long has it been?”

“Too long, if you ask me,” Ludwig replied, nodding once, to which Alfred responded to with a beam and a huge hug. From where Arthur was sitting, he could hear Gilbert sigh once with relief. “We missed you, Alfred, all of us.”

“Aww, I missed everyone lots too, Lud! What’s that? I smell hamburgers - oh man, you guys were cooking? Y-You have to tell me about it!” Alfred said, going a thousand miles an hour. There was another pause before his shoulders drooped and his voice dithered. “I’m sorry, guys…there’s something I have to tell you-”

He broke off into a sob before he was once again swarmed with hugs from everyone around him, comforting the ray of sunshine.

Something caught in Arthur’s throat, and he forced himself to look away. Whatever foolish teenage delusions that had rescinded within his system came back tenfold, making themselves known in the face of a matured man who had arrived so fashionably late, getting along with everyone like he used to.

Not speaking with Arthur, like always.

* * *

“Arthur, there is no need to give me that face, I am also leaving early today to eat dinner with Sadik and Heracles, for us lonely people,” Kiku Honda, one of his closest co workers, was currently consoling him in his embarrassment for attempting to leave early. “Has your Alfred called?”

“We’re doing something tonight, yes,” Arthur mumbled, flushing and looking away, not catching the knowing smile on his friend’s face. “Though, it is a working day, so I thought that-”

“It is Valentine’s Day, no?” Being a transfer from the Japanese office, he wasn’t completely familiar with the intricacies of Western holidays just yet. “Well, then it should be spent with him, correct? Human Resources will surely allow it.”

“I suppose, but-” his pre prepared complaint was silenced by a sound on his phone that signified a message. Apologising quickly to Kiku, he opened his flip phone (the same one that Alfred always made fun of).

_Alfred - Hey honey, how’s work and stuff? :P I’m waiting super patiently with Petey at the cafe I promised I’d take you to last week_

_Alfred_ \- _I also got the groceries, so your lovely has been working lots, even with my muscles :( I miss you so much, could you join us today? Pleeeeease? You can ask your coworkers to cover for you right?_

“It’s him,” Arthur answered the unspoken question hanging off KIku’s lips. “He’s requesting a-”

“Yes, yes, I understand, I’ll speak to the Human Resources department for the both of us,” Kiku said quickly for some reason. Perhaps it had been the last time he’d accidentally played a voice mail of Alfred seductively asking him about something?

Politely waiting until they exchanged pleasantries as they usually did, he quickly typed out a message, becoming oblivious to his surroundings, mind on nothing but him, except the jacket in his briefcase.

* * *

_Artie <3 - Idiot, you could at least refrain from being so direct. Yes, I’ve managed to purloin an early leave for today, as it seems as everyone is celebrating this bloody holiday._

“Yes!” Alfred Jones, current househusband and father to their one year old son, Peter, was currently celebrating with one hand and burping Peter with another. “Papa’s coming over to see us, Petey!”

Peter blinked, his very blue eyes not exactly comprehending his dad’s meaning. Alfred had prayed to all the gods, existent and nonexistent, including Arctos, that he wouldn’t inherit Arthur’s eyebrows, but his prayers had not been answered. Despite all that, though, he was certain their child was the cutest thing ever to exist on the earth, or at least until he was able to roam and wreak havoc on their home.

The idea of using ‘Papa’ for Arthur and ‘Dad’ from Alfred had, once again, been a stellar idea from Matthew. If it required less arguments over who was going to be ‘Mom’, Alfred and Arthur were happy to take it. _Not_ like there had been much time for arguing between the round the clock care for their infant, not to mention in-between all the hugging, kissing, cuddling each other like it was the last day on Earth, and the steamy, mind blowing s-

A small notification on his phone wiped his thoughts of last night clean from Alfred’s mind.

 _Artie <3 _\- _I’m currently taking the bus down, it’ll arrive in around four minutes._

_Artie <3 - Do try not to eat all the food you’ve ordered before I arrive, darling._

“I won’t!” Alfred typed cheerfully with his right hand, his left supporting Peter’s back. Once he’d finished sending a love laden text message, he stuffed his phone in his pocket and placed Peter back in the buggy, taking out the huge bouquet of roses before he nestled him back inside. Maybe they were a little bit over the top, but when it came to Arthur, nothing was too big to be worthy of him!

“Doing okay, buddy?” he murmured gently, tugging out the stuffed kitten - that had been a present from the newlywed Elizaveta and Roderich - from the lining of the buggy and handing it to him. Instantly, Peter latched onto the toy, ignoring the squeaky buttons that came with the toy clip. Surely his fellow diners would have preferred to hear coos instead of a plastic tiger squeaking manically. “Yeah, you can play with him for a little longer, yeah?”

Just then, two women walked past where Alfred and Peter were sitting in the cafe. “Oh, he’s just cute, isn’t he,” one of them commented warmly, smiling at them. “Is he your son?”

“Yeah, he is, we’re just waiting for the third member of the date,” Alfred grinned, patting Peter’s hair. “Thank you - say thank you, too, Peter. Ahah, that’s the best you’re going to get, I’m afraid. He’s a bit shy still.”

“Not at all, though I can see where he gets his looks from,” the other said, and the three of them shared a laugh. “I hope you have a nice day, Peter! Your father, as well.”

“Bye,” Alfred said, wiggling a slightly confused Peter’s fingers for him. Anyone could notice the women speaking in flustered tones as they walked away, but for Alfred, it wasn’t as if he’d spare much attention to anything but their son and Arthur.

* * *

If, though, someone (Francis) were to ask about how they’d discovered their feelings for one another, Arthur would talk about the twenty ninth of that fateful December, where he’d thought everyone had went to bed. Before he realised it, though, his feet found themselves re-orienting their way towards the kitchen, where they’d halfheartedly started cleanup before delaying it _again_.

What greeted him first, though, was the sound of the television. They’d been spending the entire night goofing off around Wii Sports whilst Arthur had sat back and made sarcastic comments. Had they forgotten to turn it off?

Picking up the pace, he was about to switch on the lights to the living room when he saw the familiar looking blond hair and untameable, persistent cowlick that distinguished Alfred from his older twin. Something was on the average sized television, but it didn’t seem as he were paying attention as Arthur could see the glow of the light of his phone accompanying it.

Not wanting to distract him, Arthur moved forward as discreetly as possible, until he was close enough to snag a side glance to the screen of his phone, where…

It was a photo of him. Recently, as well - he hadn’t had a need to upgrade to any newfangled phone or anything, but Francis had compensated the lack of photo taking capabilities with his own fancy phone. However embarrassing it was - the photo was probably from the mock Battleship game he was playing with Antonio earlier on in the month - it puzzled him. Why would Alfred, someone he was sure who hated him, bother to even stare at a photo of him? They hadn’t spoken that evening either, so…

“Are you gonna finally talk to me?” The loaded question hung in their air. From the dim light emanating from the phone, Arthur could see moisture gather at the corners of Alfred’s eyes. “Arthur…”

“Alfred, I-”

“It’s been so long, but…” he bit his lip before speaking again. “I didn’t know you still hated me.”

The world seemed to grind to a halt. “Me?” Arthur sputtered, the droning of the television behind him melting into the whistle of the wind outdoors. “Hate you? You could say the same for yourself. With the way you barely paid me mind during graduation when I insisted that we could still be friends even when you couldn’t accept my feelings, as well as not speaking to me all these years, I thought you wanted nothing to do with me all these years. Alfred, you-”

He was about to retort sharply back, but stopped at Alfred’s expression.

“Arthur, even now, if…” he trailed off, looking into the direction of the window where snow was slowly falling. Taking a deep breath, he continued speaking, a longing in his eyes that mirrored Arthur’s own. “If I liked you less, I might be able to actually tell you that I’ve been in love with you this whole time.”

* * *

Harriedly, Arthur pressed the red button that signalled to the bus driver to let him get off at his stop. Arranging his trench coat to ward off the spring chill, his eyes searched urgently for the same honey blond hair and distinctive blue pram until he spotted the pair underneath one of the cafe umbrellas. Eagerly, he rushed to greet them, but stopped himself once he saw what they were doing.

Feeding Peter had never come easily to Arthur as he didn’t seem to like the things he produced, but for Alfred it had come as easily as water off a duck’s back. “Here comes the plane! Whoosh,” Alfred cooed, waving the plastic spoon in the air before bringing it to their son’s mouth, who gurgled enthusiastically and kicked his legs in his high chair. “It arrived in the airport safe and sound! Just the perfect landing for the hero and his sidekick!”

Not being able to help it, Arthur’s gaze softened. Even though it had only been around a year and a half since he and Alfred had brought Peter into their family, there were always new things Arthur found to love.

“Hello, you two.” Arthur said in way of a greeting, placing down his briefcase underneath their wicker seats and sitting down, waiting for Peter to swallow his bite before planting a kiss on the top of his head. “I missed you so much, love. Has your father been treating you well?” At Peter’s joyful gurgle, Arthur softly brushed away the small tuft of hair on his forehead. “Good to hear.”

“Hey, not even greeting me first thing,” Alfred pouted, but the grin on his face put the sun to shame. Suddenly, he reached in the pram and produced a massive bouquet of vibrant red roses. “Happy Valentines, honey!”

“I…ah, Alfred, you didn’t have to,” Arthur stammered, his face suddenly matching the brilliant hue. “D-Don’t look so smug, you…oh, I suppose. H…Happy Valentines.”

“I’m glad you liked them,” he said, shuffling his chair closer so the three of them sat like a flock of blond birds. “Don’t worry though, that’s not your only gift…did you get me something?”

“Yes, I did,” Arthur said, pointedly ignoring his waggling eyebrows. “I got a raise last week, as you remember-”

“Artie!”

“You don’t have to droop so quickly, you know,” Arthur said, but looked away once Alfred hit him with his puppy eyes.

“Did you not get me anything at all? Aw…I mean, you’re so busy, but…”

“I _did,_ idiot,” Arthur exclaimed, the tips of his ears turning pink. “I…um, I don’t think it can begin to outshine those flowers, but…here you are, my darling.” He fished inside his briefcase and thrust it out at Alfred’s chest, careful to not dislodge Peter from his seat. “H-Happy Valentines…”

It was, to put it plainly, an exquisite jacket. A brown bomber jacket, more specifically, like the one he’d pored over on the online shop over dinner all those months ago for his birthday, yet the reinforced cuffs and fur lining on the collar hadn’t been there when he’d gushed over it. Had Arthur spruced it up for his sake?

“It was the jacket you were eyeing all those months ago,” Arthur muttered, looking at his feet in embarrassment. “E-Even though I couldn’t afford it at the time, with you working so hard to take care of Peter at home, I was able to save up enough. I also, erm, fixed it a little more so that you could wear it all year around. Even though it’s not fancier or a better brand, I did my best-mmmh!”

Carefully covering Peter’s blue eyes, Alfred leaned forward and kissed Arthur. The blond’s eyes widened in shock, though as Alfred kissed him deeper, his shoulders visibly relaxed and he surrendered himself to it, one hand clutching onto his bouquet whilst the other held onto Alfred’s hand.

“I _love_ it,” Alfred mumbled, his cheeks pinking whilst he put it on. “And it fits amazing… _you’re_ amazing, sugar. I don’t know what to say, I had a cute bear prepared at home and everything but you handmade this and-”

“ _Some_ of it,” Arthur said, trying to push down the excitement of hearing about his extra present. “I’m very glad you love it, darling. I felt so terrible not being able to afford it before when you really wanted it, but money was tight after Peter’s birth, so-”

Almost as if he could recognise when he was called, Peter’s tiny hand reached out and latched itself to Alfred’s new jacket, discovering the leather for the first time. With baited breath, both parents watched when he tried to shift his body closer to touch it more. Hurriedly, Alfred reached out and took him out of his seat, both watching fondly as Peter sat contentedly on his father’s lap.

“It seems he likes it almost as much as I do,” Alfred chuckled, looking at Arthur’s besotted expression. Having Peter had been difficult, much more than he was sure Arthur would ever confess to, but watching him dote on their son made him rediscover the limits to his love every single waking moment.

He reached out for Arthur’s hand. “Please don’t apologise, you’re working so hard for all three of us,” he said, running his lips across his cold knuckles. For the sake of the immature kid who’d decided it was easier to hate Arthur than to love him, he confessed. “Though, who would have hoped we’d ever spend Valentines together like this?”

Leaning closer to kiss Alfred again, Arthur ran a slender finger up and down their son’s back. “Perhaps the both of us hoped for it since the beginning. Happy Valentines, my darling.”

“Happy Valentines, Artie.”

The same foolish smile Arthur Kirkland had been wearing all day found itself reflected not only in Alfred’s face, but Peter’s, the most precious way they knew they wouldn’t need the excuse of the holiday to celebrate their love.

**Author's Note:**

> wrote this in one hour, non beta'd, we die like men
> 
> happy valentines everyone \o/ originally i was going to settle with just updating one or two of my current WIPs, but this was my weak, self indulgent attempt at fluff lol. plz forgive me, i'm not very experienced w/ fluff, but in the spirit of the season...
> 
> please let me know what you think, i'd love to hear your thoughts. :)


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